By Bob Blochinger
Dealing with work not meeting industry standards starts with preventing it in your team. Education and training must be available to all installation personnel at all skill levels, from beginner to advanced. This education must be mandatory so there is no question as to the standard for the product, installation method or system.
Education and training should encompass not only the how-to of installation, but the business side as well. Not meeting production schedules is a primary cause of installation headaches, along with ignoring proper substrate preparation, improper application of moisture or crack suppressants, and not following manufacturer instructions. As a general rule, manufacturer instructions should always be followed over industry guidelines.
Another important step is supervision and oversight as the project progresses—before, during and after installation. Make sure you have the authority—or know who does—to stop the job if an issue arises so it can be fixed. Just before turning over the job, review the finished work, perform a basic cleaning, then look over the area one final time. Keep an eye out for any deviations before they are discovered by others. The last thing you want is your customer bringing up concerns or finding issues post-installation.
Some examples of common issues:
Carpet. A misalignment of the pattern may only appear after the carpet is placed on tack strip and power stretched. An incorrect side match may be unseen until the carpet is seamed and stretched. Likewise, a pattern may not align until the carpet is stretched.
Ceramic and porcelain tile. When an installer is on their knees laying out tile, certain issues will not be visible. Only after standing and performing a visual review will negative issues become noticeable—such as edge haze, which is a hazy appearance in the middle of the tile. This is unrelated to grout residue haze, which is cleanable. Edge haze is a manufacturing defect.
Natural stone tile. White marble naturally exhibits three levels of tone—light, medium and dark. The same goes for travertine. If an installer is not careful, they will inadvertently lay out the tiles in a checkerboard appearance.
Wood plank flooring. The natural variance in tone and color of wood plank flooring can sometimes create an uneven appearance, which some customers might not want.
The installer handling the product, from the box to the substrate, is ultimately the last quality control person on the job. Granted, some negative issues may remain unseen or be the result of a manufacturing defect. However, project oversight and supervision will go a long way toward ensuring the level of workmanship, while also giving you a chance to correct problems before they can become a liability.
